Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Criminal Justice and Criminology
Date of Award
8-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Dustin Osborne
Committee Members
Chris Rush, Bradley Edwards
Abstract
This study relied on in-depth interviews with naturalized citizens and lawful permanent resident Hispanic immigrants to explore their perceptions of law enforcement and experiences with crime victimization and reporting. Past literature has explained that the absence of legal status may deter crime reporting. We added to this body of work by investigating relationships among legal status, trust, and reporting behaviors. This study finds that direct experiences with law enforcement and acquired knowledge may be a better indicator of law enforcement trust and crime reporting compared to legal status. While most participants expressed trust in law enforcement, others felt neutral due to contemporary immigration enforcement or perceptions of lack of support. Hesitance or lack of reporting was associated with lack of legal status in a few victimization cases. Implications suggest that strong community-based policing and acknowledgment that local law enforcement differs from immigration enforcement may mitigate distrust
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Cabrera, Guadalupe C., "An Examination of Legal Status, Law Enforcement Perception, and Crime Victimization and Reporting Among Hispanic Immigrants" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4570. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4570
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
